1618-1648. The Thirty Years' War between the Cath olics and Protestants of Germany. Beginning in Bohemia. in 1618, it ended with the Peace of Westphalia. 30 years later.
1648-1652. The Civil War of the Fronde may not be one of the great wars of the world, but it is so thoroughly repre sentative of the conditions of the times that it is usually included in such lists. It originated in the minoritV of Louis XIV, and during the reign of Queen Anne of Austria and Cardinal Mazarin, and was strictly a war of classes. On one side were ranged the supporters of the court and the nobility. while the citizens, supported by the Parliament, were arrayed against them. It ended with the ignoble defeat of Conde at the battle of Saint Antoine.
1702-1713. Wer of the Semis* Succession. a conflict which arose over ths question whether an Austrian or a French prince should succeed to the throne of Spain. From the beginning the British court was opposed to Louis and the successes of the Duke of Marlborough would have delivered the throne to the Austrians if the anise. bY withdrn one after another. had not left the Bourbons free to 1741-1748. War of the Austria* Ssoccession. At the death of Emperor Charles VI, his daughter. Maria Theresa, attempted to amnia control of the throne which the great powers of Europe had guaranteed to her under the law known as the Pragmatic Sanction. Contrary to their agreement. however. all the powers except England determined to rob her of her inheritance. The plot failed and the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle was signed. Frederick the Great being the only monarch to profit by the conflict. He was bought off by the cession of Silesia.
1756-1763. The Saw Years' War was the result of Maria Thenssa's determination to reoover the Kilesian terri tory which she had ceded to Prussia. By careful diplomacy an alliance was formed between Austria and France. Ruasia.
Saxony, Sweden and Poland, leaving England as the only power to which Prussia oould look for support. Although it was believed that Frederick would be unable to stand against such odds he was so generally victorious that he was not only able to retain his control over Silesia, but his successes in battle established the position of Prussia as one of the five great nations of the world.
1775-1782. War of the American Resolution. The revolt of the American colonists as a protest against English owrai. "ion is one of the most serious oonflicts in which England has been engaged, costing, as it did. the greater part of her American possessions. The war culminated with the signing of the treaty of Paris, 30 Nov. 1782.
War of the French Resolution. The uprising in France was distinctly a class awakening, but it resulted in the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of the first republic. During this period of internal agitabon, however, other nations took advantage of the supposed opportunity to meet France with less danger to themselves and yet. durg the very d,ays when the Terrorists were
sanding their victims to the gvdllotine the republican army was enjoying such continued success that several threatened frontiers were pacified; Belgium was overrun; Holland con quered, and peace was signed with Prussia and Spain.
1796-1797. In ass hallow Caudwieu, Bonaparte. the new rmlitary figure in European affairs, was given his first oppor tufty to exhibit his great genius for generalship. for uth a force of 38,000 men destitute of a hing but courage, be advanced upon three well-equipped • of the fleeter of Italian and Austrian eoldiery. vanquiihed them and WSS already in the act of advancing upon Vienna when the Aus trian government, in consternation. asked for a suspension of hostilities. The treaty of Campo Formic, signed in 1797, us the result. By this France took Belgium and the long coveted boundary of the Rhine, wlule Venice and its depeM enclose were apportioned to Auetria.
1803-1815. The Wars wish BetsaWarte, which niay be said to have commenced with Austerlitz and to have ended only with Waterloo. occupied the attention of Europe for more than 12 years. The third coalition, which was formed to resist Napoleon's projects of advancement, consisted of England. Austria and Russia, but the " Sun of Austerlitz " went down upon a defeat so crushing that the congested were glad to accept the terms of the treaty of Presburg, even at the coat of the very existence of the Holy Roman Empire which had continued for more than 1,000 years. In 1806 a fourth coalition, composed of Prussia, Russia and England. was formed. but in one day Napoleon annihilated their armies, and, entering Berlin, niied even the tomb of Frederick the GrrAt. A year later. 1807, saw the humiliation of Ramis made coniplete, for while the battle of Eylau may be said to have been indecisive, there weld be no question about the of Ftiedland, and Alexander. forced to sue for puce. • tha treaty of Tilsit. The Peninsula Caniza jus 1 8; the war wrth Austria in 1809. and the war 1809-12, were continiktus exhibitions of the Flinch beyonetsonizass not until the 1812, when the rrenc army retreated from moscovcs= an ty to shake off the yoke whkh the bold massoif Vuling • , that the powers of Europe saw had them to bear. Again there was cousa= formed. a gigantic confederation of power which included the forces of England, Russia. Prussia and Sweden, and whfie Napoleon's new armY succeeded in defeating the allies at Lateen. Bentsen and Dresden his own fall at the Urals battle of Leirisig sent him bacIr to Paris to prepare far the inevitable fate which Fortune had in store for him. the fate of Waterloo and his own abdication.